Gone and Back Again
by Rose Zen
Summary: Darien is back in Tokyo for one thing and one thing only. But he'll find that Serena has left him, not physically but... One Shot, sudden stroke of genius.


Totally unexpected, but this one just came to me! After listening to the song 'Far Away' by Nickleback at least a hundred times, I got the story to go along with it, so give the song a listen. I'm aware that I still haven't updated Changes, but I'm not too avid about it anymore being that my writing has matured so much since then. But for the fans, no worries. I'm not abandoning it with just three or four chapters left. Anyhow, hope you enjoy this short one:

PS You guys MUST check out this amazing guy! DL or buy Secondhand Serenade. All his songs are great.

**Far Away**

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He stared at his reflection contemplatively as he tightened the burgundy Windsor tie about his neck. 'This is my first and most likely last chance to win her back, and I'll have so much to explain. But she's worth it all. I won't give up so easily.' Determined, he took one last look at himself, grabbed his keys, and shut the door behind him.

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She sat at a table, twirling a straw around in her drink. 'Why do I even come to parties? I always tell myself I'll have fun, meet a new guy, and finally be able to move on. And once I arrive, all I think about is him, what he's doing, and how I wish he were with me.' She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face her mother.

"Honey, why aren't you up dancing and having fun?" Irene asked her daughter, concerned.

"Mom, this is dad's company party. How much fun could it possibly be?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. But her conscience answered the question for her. 'Why do you bother lying to yourself? You know you could have fun here.'

"Well honey, do as you please. But promise me you won't sit here all night?"

She sighed. "Alright mom, I'll get up soon. Promise."

Irene smiled gently as she patted her daughter's shoulder, then left to join her husband.

Serena rested her cheek on her hand and sighed heavily. 'Alone again.' The ice jingled as she took to twirling her straw again.

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The doors of the grand ballroom swung open as he walked through the entry way. The classic tunes of an orchestra strummed softly in the background as he paused and looked around the place, enormous and brimming with elegantly dressed businessmen and women. Finding her would be near impossible, but nothing would keep him from her now. He took a step forward, ready to take on the crowd.

After raking through the people on the dance floor and coming up empty handed, he decided to look around the tables. And finally, after searching for what seemed like ages, he saw a woman who held such beauty, it could only be her. Her blonde hair, which held the scent of which he thought of night and day, cascaded down her back, and her small frame hunched over in her seat. He was overcome by emotion, seeing her for the first time in so long. Tears pricked at his eyes, but none spilled forth as he took a few steps forward. 'It's now or never, Darien.'

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She was still stirring, still thinking. 'I wish I knew where he was, who he's with. Anything. All I want is to hear from him.'

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He drew in a deep breath and let it out quietly as he stood just behind her. 'Here we go.' He rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Serena?"

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Interrupting her thoughts, Serena felt a warm, strong hand gently grip her shoulder. At the sound of her name, she turned, but when she heard the voice, she knew. Fully realizing who it was, she gasped as her eyes widened and filled with tears. The man who haunted her thoughts and dreams. A ghost. But now he stood before her, alive and well. A chill ran down her spine, and she finally spoke.

"Why?" was all she could manage to mutter, maybe whimper.

As if knowing exactly which why to answer, Darien replied, "Because I'm fool. But I need you more than anything. I realize that now."

"Darien…" Serena shook her head and turned away from him.

"Serena, I'm sorry. I can't apologize enough." He sat beside her and brought her chin over, forcing her to look at him. "I screwed up, but please listen to me. Even if you decide I don't deserve a chance, I want you to know everything."

He looked into her eyes filled with tears she was holding back, the doors to her soul. And he knew. He could still read her. He could still feel her.

"Explain yourself," she said coldly after moments of silence.

"You know I didn't know anyone in America. Once I arrived, I got used to the whole idea of my new found 100 percent independence, not knowing or needing anyone but myself. I was set on that idea. It was all about me. I made all of my own decisions according to me, not to Andrew, my teachers, or my friends. Or Serena. I got your first letter, and I started to write back, but I didn't get around to finishing it. When I came back to the letter, I decided I didn't need to write you back. After all, I was sure you were fine without me, too. I didn't need to read your letters, either. I didn't need to her from you. Heck, I didn't need YOU after awhile. I didn't need anyone but myself, and I'd be dandy. But I was so stupid and so wrong. I was alone. You stopped writing, and I started to really think. Maybe you'd moved on, maybe something had happened to you. I drove myself crazy not knowing what was going on in your life, if you were alive, my grades went on a downward spiral, and I had no one to turn to."

Darien paused and caught his breath, looking into Serena's eyes. "All I had were your letters. I'd saved them, and I read them all, over and over again. I cried all through, and a few times I laughed, but I realized I didn't belong in America. I transferred to Tokyo University. I do need Andrew, my friends, Tokyo. I need my home and my belongings, everything. And more than ANYTHING or ANYONE, I need YOU. I need to see you, be with you, hear from you. I need you, Serena. You're my everything."

Silence. It stung him. It hung in the air.

"I wrote everyday for a month and didn't get one response. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? Did you ever once consider MY needs, MY feelings, not yours?" She fell silent for a bit. "I just don't think I can do this Darien." She looked away from him as tears came to her eyes. She couldn't bear the pain.

"Serena, please…"

"Darien, if there's any chance for you, for US, it's going to take some time for the wounds to heal. The pain you've caused me is deep, but…nothing has changed in me. I hate to say it, and yes it hurts, but no matter what I do or how hard I try not to, I still…" she trailed off.

"Serena, I love you."

She looked up at him, but could say nothing.

"All I ask of you is one thing. Dance with me, please. I beg of you, just on dance."

"Why a dance?" she asked exasperatedly.

"I want to hold your hand again, and have you in my arms again, even if it's the last time. Please…"

She sighed and nodded. He offered her a hand which she took to helped her stand. They walked onto the dance floor together, and as they began to sway, Darien began to whisper in Serena's ear.

"You can't begin to imagine how much I need you, Sere. I'd give anything and everything to regain what we had, and I'll apologize a thousand times if that's what you want. Please, give me a chance to prove myself again and show you how much you mean to me, Serena. Let me show you how much I truly love you."

He pulled her closer, holding her hand and her waist tightly as if it was all the connected him to this world as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Please say something, Serena."

"It was a long time and a long distance, Darien."

It was now that he noticed her talking in past tense and the dampness on his shoulder. And now he felt her leave him, not only physically, but emotionally. In his moment of realization, she had left him bodily, but he could not feel the connection to her that he had for so long felt. And now he made another significant realization.

This was precisely what he had done to her, months ago.

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Serena stood outside in the cold, shivering, leaning against the building, crying out all the emotions she'd been harboring in the past months. But no matter how hard she tried, she still retained the same feeling.

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Darien looked for her, but it was useless. She was gone. He felt the self-loathing brought upon him by rejection, but more so the tears that stung his eyes. He walked outside and stood near the door turning the other way, lest any passerby could see the hot, searing tears that ran down his face. "Serena, I wish you knew…"

"Knew what?"

He turned to see her standing behind him, tear streaks still on her cheeks. After having herself a good cry she finally decided she'd shed enough tears for him. Yet somehow she knew more would come as she made her way back to the party and saw Darien standing there. She heard what he muttered, and now she was strong enough to confront the situation at hand. But she almost lost all of her resolve after seeing the lone tear that ran down his face and the redness in his eyes. Almost.

She stepped forward. "What is it you wish I knew, Darien?" she asked softly. It broke her heart to see him like this after so long. She could hardly bare to resist him any longer.

"I wish you knew how badly I need to hear from you those words you've been leaving out, trailing off on…"

"Darien, I-"

He interrupted her. "I know it's hard. I'm not expecting it from you. I just wish you knew how much I need it, that it's the only thing I need."

And finally, Serena lost all need to be stubborn and put up a front. What was she fighting? Her own emotions? The battle was over, the war lost. She didn't need to ignore or push aside her feelings anymore.

She began to cry and threw her arms around him. "It's not hard, Darien, I only made it hard for myself, for you. I can't fight this!" She drew in a breath. "I love you, Darien. I still do."

"Oh, Serena." He sighed loudly in relief and felt tears begin to run down his face again, tears of joy. "I love you. I never stopped loving you. I promise, I swear on my life, on our past, on our future…" he pulled back and looked into her eyes, "I will never leave you again. I'll always be here to hold you, comfort you, and my love for you will never end." He hugged her to him.

They pulled apart and Serena placed a hand on his cheek, wiping away a tear with her thumb. "That better be a promise you keep," she said smiling through her tears.

He pecked her lips softly. "I love you, Serena."

She hugged him again, holding him as if she were afraid he'd disappear. "I love you, too, Darien."

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**The End**

Hope you guys liked it! Please leave a review: And I promise the next chapter of Changes will be up soon. I'm nearly done typing it!


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